recommendations for solid M42 mechanical body

[2WK]

Another vote for the Asahi Pentax SV. It is beautiful, and feels fantastic in the hand. Seems better made than my M6.

 

[Bob Wilson]

Pentax SV if you can live without built-in metering, SPF if you require a meter. I've used them both- they never failed.

 

[Greyscale]

My Yashica TL Electro-X uses the PX-28s which is also hard to find so instead I take 4-357 silver oxide cells and shrinkwrap them together..

I use either a 28L Lithium, or a 4SR44(silver) or 4LR44(alkaline) battery (same as used in the Canon "A" series cameras) which are commonly available.

 

[Spanik]

All speeds between B and 1000 are infinity variable, between the click stops, not just the slow speeds.

Did not know that, thanks for the information. Another good point for the TL Electro-X then.

Praktica MTL3 - works with an alkaline battery (625A). I has a vertical shutter with metal blades.

My first camera (well, real camera) and indeed a solid performer. But while it takes an alacaline battery and the meter reacts, it isn't correct. Yes, I know the circuit looks like a bridge but it isn't one. Yes, I know it is proclaimed as such on "the internet" but it isn't correct.

For those who care: a bridge is only independent of voltage if there is no current through the bridge meter. But in the Practika MTL3 (and others) there flows current through the bridge when you match the needle and the "O". When no current flows, the needle sits below the "O". The meter is at the same time used as battery indicator.

 

[f16sunshine]

Hey as long as we are on this and I hope it's not too far OT.
Who is the Pentax Guru in north America?
I would like my black spotty and Pentax MX overhauled for the next decades use.
Thanks for replies. 😀

 

[Greyscale]

My favorite is my Black Asahi Spotty. Just because she is so damn good looking and I've taken some great images with it. It needs an overhaul though.

An often overlooked camera is the Sears TLS made by Ricoh (the singlet).
I have a black one and a chrome one. Think of it as a M42 mount Nikon F !
Copal Metal Shutter. Heavy strong build. Removable cold shoe.
The two I have have never been overhauled and the shutters and meters are still spot on.
Advance is geared and zippy smooth. It's a surprising performer.
I suppose you could look for the original Ricoh badged version as well. I like the ensignia on the Sears model.
They came with a Tomioka made f1.4/55mm that is a brilliant lens.

pic from a photo.net article (check it out)

Also sold as the Ricoh Singlex TLS, the only camera that I ever fixed by accidentally dropping it down the basement stairs. Some earlier versions of the Sears/Ricoh cameras actually did use a variant of the Nikon "F" mount, so your description may be more apt than you knew.

 

[Greyscale]

Hey as long as we are on this and I hope it's not too far OT.
Who is the Pentax Guru in north America?
I would like my black spotty and Pentax MX overhauled for the next decades use.
Thanks for replies. 😀

I asked the same question on the APUG forum last week, and was referred here, by many.

http://www.pentaxs.com/index.html

 

[colyn]

I use either a 28L Lithium, or a 4SR44(silver) or 4LR44(alkaline) battery (same as used in the Canon "A" series cameras) which are commonly available.

I've never been fond of alkaline batteries because of their steep voltage drop (curve) so I prefer the silver battery. I've never tried the Lithium battery. I may try it in the future..

 

[Greyscale]

I've never been fond of alkaline batteries because of their steep voltage drop (curve) so I prefer the silver battery. I've never tried the Lithium battery. I may try it in the future..

The Electro X meter is very forgiving regarding voltage, it is similar to the G rangefinders in that respect. But I would prefer lithium, silver, and then alkaline, in that order.

 

[f16sunshine]

I asked the same question on the APUG forum last week, and was referred here, by many.

http://www.pentaxs.com/index.html

Thank you Greyscale!

 

[nparsons13]

Here's another plug for the SV/H3v. I had my H3v CLA'd recently, and it handles like new. And if you can't find an SV or H3v, the S1a/H1a is pretty much identical, except for the self-timer. An S1a was my first SLR back in 1968, and it served well for forty years until it was lost in a fire in 2008. Now I have a replacement H1a.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

The specifications of the Electro X are hard to surpass. Unless you can (A) find and (B) are willing to cough up the usual price for a rare Honeywell converted Spotmatic they are the only really viable M42 body with TTL metering and mirror lockup. The predecessor Yashica TL Super also had the mirror lockup facility, but it is now rare to procure one with a working light meter.

Various Prakticas with metal shutter shouldn't be overlooked. They're clunky, for sure, however it's a reliable shutter. Providing you're not in the habit of needing a tripod and 1/15 or slower, or needing to do macro, they're very affordable and the viewfinder and split prisms of some of them are astoundingly bright and snappy. Bearing in mind their heritage as part of the great Zeiss Ikon works this shouldn't be that surprising I suppose.

Getting back to mirror lockup. A little known fact is that some of the earlier Praktica models have a mechanism that will fire the mirror with a gentle press of the button (or cable) prior to releasing the shutter. The FX and IV are a couple I own that feature this mechanism. They have other disadvantages of course such as no auto aperture functionality in the case of the FX (FX2 had this), no metering (TTL or otherwise) and a maximum shutter speed of 1/500. The FX series don't even have a prism although I have the Carl Zeiss Jena accessory prism and it is usable (and fitted with that the rig looks superb with a 58mm Biotar mounted). But they can still be enjoyable cameras to use out on the street. Easy to clean and lube the shutter mechanism too, which is often needed for reliable service I should add.

If you just want to load and shoot, the TL Electro X is hard to beat, although the Olympus FTL does offer open aperture metering with Olympus lenses, which is appealing (I have one of those as well).
Cheers
Brett

 

[Blooze]

I've never had a true M42 mount Pentax, but I like shooting them on my Pentax MX with an adapter.

 

[colyn]

The specifications of the Electro X are hard to surpass. Unless you can (A) find and (B) are willing to cough up the usual price for a rare Honeywell converted Spotmatic they are the only really viable M42 body with TTL metering and mirror lockup.

This feature is handy when I use my 21mm f/3.3 wide lens.

For those who have never used this lens, it is outstanding.

The predecessor Yashica TL Super also had the mirror lockup facility, but it is now rare to procure one with a working light meter.

This model uses 2- PX640 batteries which are pretty much mail order nowdays..

If you just want to load and shoot, the TL Electro X is hard to beat, although the Olympus FTL does offer open aperture metering with Olympus lenses, which is appealing (I have one of those as well).
Cheers
Brett

Can't argue here..

I've never used the Olympus FTL..

 

[jarski]

another vote for Spotmatics. I only have experience from SP, and don't need the meter. its solid good camera, everything essential is there, well placed and thought of. what little film am shooting, Spotmatic SP is more than enough for the job.

 

[dbarnes]

Fujica 701? Known for bright viewfinder.

 

[Ranchu]

I have an SP 500 which I do like, but I never use it somehow. I use a canon Rebel Ti with an adapter. You have to stop the aperture down manually, but since aperture priority is automatic, you don't have to stop down meter. It has really, really good evaluative metering. I would avoid the mamiya's, the focusing screen is not 'set' solidly in place, but sprung with screws against a spring. If you remove the prism to clean the screen, you have to reset the focus of the screen. ****ing stupid.

 

[hepcat]

I know the OP wants an internal meter, but I find them to be much over-rated unless you're letting the camera take over on "auto" anyway.

One of the few cameras I regret selling forty years ago was a Spotmatic SL, the meterless version of the SP. It was a tank, well made with a superb fit and finish, and no meter to break or worry about batteries for. I really wish I still had that old body and a couple of the early SMC Takumars from that era. IIRC, I had an 85mm f/1.8 SMC that was absolutely stellar for portraits.

 

[CameraQuest]

The best, most feature laden, and most reliable M42 body I ever used
was a Canon T90 with a M42 to FD adapter

see http://cameraquest.com/t90.htm

Stephen

 

[Pioneer]

Hey as long as we are on this and I hope it's not too far OT.
Who is the Pentax Guru in north America?
I would like my black spotty and Pentax MX overhauled for the next decades use.
Thanks for replies. 😀

http://pentaxs.com/
Go here for your Pentax film camera repairs. He is the only one I have ever had work on my cameras.